Ongoing research on the true underlying cause for the skin condition known as Hidradenitis Suppurativa suggests that it may have some genetic source. Contrary to most people’s belief, HS is not actually a result of poor health hygienic practices (although it most definitely will contribute to worsen the condition).

According to recent studies, HS may be caused by a certain combination of environmental (outside) and genetic (inside) factors. Scientists were able to identify a relation between certain genes in human chromosome 1, but the exact chromosome is still unidentified. It also appears that around 30 to 40 percent of people with this skin condition had inherited it from at least one ancestor. Whether it requires one or both chromosomes remains undiscovered.

They also have seen a link between obesity, cigarette smoking and weak immune systems. Hidradenitis is still quite a rare disease and more common in women as well as persons in their teens or twenties. It is important to consult a doctor (preferably a skin doctor or dermatological expert) if you suspect that you or a family member has the condition.

There are few documented cases of HS, simply because patients feel ashamed or embarrassed to report that they are suffering from this condition. If a person is experiencing discomforts regarding this skin disease, they should be able to receive proper care, which involves not only a life-long medical treatment, but also moral support from family and friends. After all, this is not a transferable or communicable disease, so there is no reason for patients to be avoided.

Treatment and management for the chronic skin condition known as Hidradenitis Suppurativa is no easy task. Being of relatively unknown cause, HS is almost always misdiagnosed and as a result, it is difficult to catch it in its early stages. However, the best way to prevent symptoms from worsening is to consult a dermatologist as soon as you feel lumps on your skin (no matter how small) especially in the areas of your armpits, groin, inner thighs and under your breast.

Some factors that contribute to a person developing this skin disease are genetics, androgen (sex hormones), obesity, acne and cigarette smoking. Although there is no known permanent cure for this condition, hidradenitis can be managed through several medical and surgical means. Some of the easiest ways to improve HS is to maintain a healthier lifestyle. One can stop smoking and lose excess weight and fat so the body’s hormones can be easily regulated. The use of antiseptics as topical washes and ointments also help to lessen bacterial infection (especially if one already develops sores and pus drains).

If drugs are to be taken, the most commonly prescribed ones include anti-acne antibiotics, oral antibiotics and retinoids and corticosteroids. Always remember to follow exact dosage and frequencies so that the desired result will be achieved. If surgery is needed, doctors can perform pus drainage, removal of abscesses (which includes scraping out the cavity), excision of lumps and nodules, and a rather experimental course which is called laser ablation.

The skin is the human body’s largest organ. It is interesting how tough and sensitive it is at the same time. Being the most exposed part of our body, it is vulnerable to all sorts of diseases and sicknesses, especially if not cared for properly. One such unwanted skin condition is called hidradenitis suppurativa, or HS for short. What exactly is HS, and how can it be prevented?

The causes for hidradenitis are still unclear and under study, but according to some researches, it can be a result of blocked sweat glands or obstructed hair follicles. It is usually found to affect the following areas: groin, genitals, armpits, buttocks, inner thighs and below the breasts. The symptoms present themselves in the form of lumps, blackheads, scars, cysts and pus channels. Hidradenitis suppurativa is a life-long affliction that can be very painful and cause a lot of discomfort.

Contrary to popular belief, HS is not a result of poor hygiene. It is commonly misdiagnosed as acne, folliculitis and even herpes, but is is non-communicable. If detected in its early stages (where there are only a few abscesses and no scars or pus), it may be easier to manage through medication. If it has progressed, one may be offered more powerful antibiotics or surgery. This provides temporary relief, as the condition has no known cure, but experts advise that patients who suffer from hidradenitis must retain a healthy lifestyle (quit smoking, lose weight, maintain good hygiene) in order to make the disease easier to manage.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa, or HS, is an often misdiagnosed and mistreated illness due to the fact that many of its symptoms closely resemble other skin conditions. Some of these symptoms include inflammations on the skin, blackheads, lesions, reddish bumps, lumps and even pus drains. Recurrent lesions also cause sores and scarring.

Often, Hidradenitis is diagnosed as severe acne or folliculitis. However, the true cause of this skin condition remains unclear. Dermatologists have determined that it usually begins as a pea-sized lump in any of the body’s apocrine sweat glands or sebaceous glands. These areas are namely the underarm, groin, buttocks, inner thighs, as well as below the breast.

Symptoms vary in intensity. Some people only experience mild discomforts due to one of more pea-sized lumps. These lumps are red and tender, and can persist for as long as months at a time. For others, these lumps can worsen and pop, wherein pus will start to ooze.

Medication for this condition involves lifetime treatment, because hidradenitis has no apparent permanent cure as of yet. It can, however, be controlled or managed. The most common treatments given to patients suffering this condition is antibiotics. Sometimes, doctors may recommend the surgical removal of the lumps if they have gotten too big or if they are not reacting to the treatment. The best way to cope with this disease is to keep a healthy diet and avoid smoking (which may worsen the state of any sores or lesions already present on the skin).

In a world that’s getting to be filled with every kind of addictive computer games, surely one of these days we’ll see some type of physical disorder resulting from ‘too much playing’. Vincent Piguet and a few of his colleagues over at some of the medical schools and universities in Geneva have named a new type of skin disorder which they call ‘PlayStation Palmar Hidradentitis’. This condition is characterized by Piguet as painful lesions on a person’s palm, quote “The tight and continuous grasping of the hand-grips together with repeated pushing of the buttons produce minor but continuous trauma to the palm surfaces”. He documented his studies and published it in the British Journal of Dermatology.

Sony, creator of PlayStation, politely responded to this by saying that there will always be consequences if one does not follow “common sense, health advice and guidelines, as can be found within our instruction manuals.” They did, however, note that while they will investigate the claim with eagerness, it is the first time they had ever heard of a complaint like this.

Fans of the PlayStation franchise, as well as gamers in general, reacted negatively to the said findings. They say that palmar hidradentitis, supposedly caused by using PlayStation too much, is merely a form of eczema or perhaps allergic contact dermatitis and is quite common even in non-gamers. They also find it queer that the supposed research was only restricted to PlayStation, and most shrugged off the claim as just a hoax.